Talk:Foundations and Assessment of Education/Edition 1/Foundations Table of Contents/Chapter 9/9.1.1

Reader Response
I think that all the teachers I have worked with have been mentors for me. I have learned so much from each of them. I hope that when it comes for me to have a mentor I get someone that will guide me in the right direction and will always want to be there for me. I can believe the turnover rate because there are many teachers that come in for a year at least and then leave. I enjoyed reading the article and it was very informative.Msmhobbs04 (talk) 22:10, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

I liked this article, it was interesting to read and presented interesting information. I would take issue with the example of the student who was pregnant and came to the teacher for help because the boyfriend wanted her to get an abortion. The author wrote, "You realize that not only is her future at stake but also the life of another human being." I think it was biased because it was showing a pro-life stance in an article that had nothing to do with reproductive rights. Other than that, I enjoyed the article and thought it was well-written. Ldomm002 (talk) 02:47, 2 August 2009 (UTC)

I really enjoyed reading this article and I think that it offered so many great points! I think that a mentoring program is a huge part in getting through the first few years of teaching. It can be very overwhelming and stressful to think about and deal with, but if you know you have someone to guide you through new challenges and difficult times, things can seem much more manageable. I am definitely in favor of having a strong mentoring program for new teachers and I hope this becomes a more widely used idea! Khedl002 (talk) 15:04, 1 August 2009 (UTC)khedl002

I think this is a great and important article. It is disappointing to hear the number of teachers that leave the profession so soon after starting. I believe that mentoring could be an answer. I would definitely welcome the opportunity to work with a veteran teacher that has life experience in the classroom. Their guidance would only help ensure that I would be a successful teacher. You can only learn so much from books and lectures, but the "real" situations you can only learn in the classroom. Aferg006 (talk) 00:40, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

I am a huge proponent for mentoring programs in any school district. Why not?! This article was well written and very informative. I would have liked to know more about the kinds of mentoring programs in Virginia schools. These valuable relationships between novice teachers and veteran teachers could ensure my success in the beginning of a new career. A 30% turnover rate is high and scary. Almost a third of all teachers leave the field within the first three years. Wow. I do not want to be that teacher. I do not want to have worked so hard to complete my education program and then be too overwhelmed with my actual work environment. My dreams for my classroom and my students are high. I would like to ensure their success. Mentoring is a great option.Abitt002 (talk) 20:10, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

I thought this was a well written article and very appropriate for future teachers. It is disheartening to know the turnover rate for new teachers is so high. I think EVERY new teacher should be given a mentor for the first year, someone with experience who WANTS to be a mentor. The paperwork alone can be overwhelming for first year teachers, especially combined with all the new technology you might want to add to your curriculum like webquests and cooperative learning activities. A mentor can help you keep your focus on what's important and help answer questions and guide you through the school system. Sciaston (talk) 21:18, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

I enjoyed this article as well. I believe that mentoring programs are excellent for first year teachers and should be implemented into every school system. First year teachers are so overwhelmed with everything else it is nice to have someone to talk to and take advice from. This would help the turnover rate and have someone lead you into how the school is conducted. The department chair would be an excellent mentor for the department that the new teacher is teaching in. The mentor program would produce more successful teachers and hopefully reduce the turnover rate. Hcomb003 (talk) 16:23, 31 July 2009 (UTC)

I really enjoyed the article. I did not know that the turnover for teachers was so high! I think that the mentoring program would be great. Just like anynone who graduates from college and enters the working field there are alwasy situations that are not necessarily learned in school. Having a mentor and a go to person to bounce off ideas from and to review lesson plans would be great, not only to help you possibly succed in the field but also the students the new teacher is trying to reach.Bpenn005 (talk) 01:06, 2 August 2009 (UTC)

I am very pro for the idea of a mentoring program for teachers. It is a sad reality that teachers quit because of different circumstances or because there are a lot of difficulties that get in the way. I think if new teachers had the opportunity to work along someone else for the first year it will help a lot, as well as develop new ideas to integrate in the classroom.Ehern004 (talk) 16:56, 2 August 2009 (UTC)